Great tool for new riders: bus maps with only frequent service routes

Los Angeles Metro has a great tool for new and potential riders who are trying to navigate an unfamiliar transit network: a bus route map that only includes routes with high frequencies so a timetable is not needed.

Thanks to Michael Perkins (a More Riders subscriber) who found the LA Metro map and wrote about it on his blog Greater Greater Washington.  

There are potential new riders every day and either the agency invests in information distribution to recruit those potential riders and help them overcome the natural rider intimidation any new riders would face, of the agency does not and loses the rider and her revenue because she can’t figure out where the bus route goes.

I believe that’s why rail is so more popular than a bus for most new riders and tourists: the route is clear. Buses should try to emulate rail’s natural advantages in route certainty in every possible way to attract new riders.

Blog

April 24th, 2009

3 responses

3 responses


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Michael Perkins

Thanks for the mention. It’s actually David Alpert’s blog but I’m a regular contributor.

April 24, 2009 10:53 am

Scott Mercer

It’s a great idea and a nicely designed map, but as a heavy transit user in LA, I find that sometimes I am taking less heavily used routes (read: obscure) and I need the individual timetables as well. Mostly I need to know if I take the bus out to the hinterlands to go eat at that restaurant I’ve never been to, will I be able to get a bus back home?i.e., when do the buses stop running on this line?

April 24, 2009 1:49 pm

Jarrett

I’ve been advocating this for years, and persuaded San Antonio to do this kind of mapping in response to the successful Frequent Service brand in Portland. Adelaide, Australia does the same kind of branding, and I believe Brisbane will be introducing it soon.

April 27, 2009 5:15 am

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